Model Behaviour
by casperfrench
Summary: A case AND some Alex Olivia goodness too? Must be your lucky day. Trust me, it's quite good. See for yourself. Sex in the last chapter - she says, watching the hits go up... ;D - Reviews welcome; always happy to hear what you thought and I always reply.
1. One, 'Rest'

Model Behaviour

_Takes place directly after 'Competence' (series 3). In fact, it takes place so soon after that episode ends that I suggest you go watch the episode first, as a nice introduction. It's on . This was just a one-shot, and now it's a proper story – complete with case and all! This part has been edited, so even if you've read it before, please re-read. Just a quick note – this story assumes a previous relationship (the kind where each has a few spare shirts at the other's apartment) between Alex and Olivia, which only Elliot knows about. _

_Thanks to 'Marie Geiger-Muller' for the excellent brainstorming session. _

- - -

_Chapter ONE – Rest_

"Well done Alex. You did good" Cragen gave his praise as soon as Alex left the interview room that had a shattered Ray Chaney still in it. Alex caught Cragen's eye, and gave a faint nod of thanks.

"I'll be in tomorrow to talk shop and send off the paperwork."

"Right. You taking off?" Asked Cragen, glancing at his watch. It was early in the afternoon, but the case (and all the others) had been draining, and every one on it had been working for hours.

"Yeah" Alex glanced at Olivia. They were standing right next to each other, and Olivia could feel Alex's warm arm brushing her own. Olivia felt her pulse quicken just a little; Alex's eyes told her to come back to her apartment this instant.

"I think I'll go too, unless you need me Captain?" Olivia asked, praying on the answer.

"_I _need you Benson..." Purred Alex into Olivia's ear, pretending to look behind her so that Cragen wouldn't see. Olivia swallowed. Her throat was suddenly very dry.

"No, you can go. PSR report on my desk tomorrow morning. Have a nice night."

- - -

A little less than a half hour later, and Alex was wandering across to her sofa, wearing nothing but her underwear and one of Olivia's shirts. She was carrying two glasses of wine, one of which was expertly plucked from her hand by a passing Olivia.

"Hey! Those were both for me!" Protested Alex, smiling.

"You deserve them! God, I was looking at you tell that son-of-a-bitch exactly what was coming to him" Said Olivia, sipping the wine and snaking the other arm around Alex's waist, kissing her neck. "The fire in your eyes when you're prosecuting..." breathed Olivia "it's just like the look you give me just before you fuck me..."

The depths of Alex's stomach gave a little twitch, and she gave Olivia a slight moan of approval, then smiled and gracefully twisted out of Olivia's hold.

"You want lunch?" She asked, smiling and making her way over to the kitchen, as Olivia made a noise of disbelief.

"No fair! You were giving me the eye thirty minutes ago, and now you're, you're..."

"I'm what?" Mused Alex, pulling a bag of pasta out of the refrigerator and turning on the hot water tap, flicking her fingers under the stream of water as she waited for it to heat up. "Pasta ok with you?"

"You're teasing me. You're being a vixen. Pasta is fine."

Alex poured the water into a pot, when Olivia had a thought. She leaned on the counter.

"Baby, did you really set fire to your stove last year?"

"Um. Yeah."

"Huh. I'll cook."

"You don't have to..." Alex trailed off as Olivia swept into her kitchen and took the pasta from one hand and the pot from the other.

"You know," said Olivia, ignoring Alex's attempts to regain control of the cooking utensils. "I think Cragen has a thing for you. I mean, I'm 'Benson' or 'detective' half the time, and with you it's Alex this, Alex that"

Alex smiled. "You jealous? And it's Liz Donnelly he wants. In her office... honestly – the eye flirting that was going on. Get a room!"

"Eye flirting?" Olivia arched an eyebrow. "Like what you do to me every second at work? Or is that just eye fucking? And Alex? _We _have a room. We have a whole apartment..." Whispered Olivia, turning around and pressing into Alex, who kissed her.

"Later. I have plans for you – but first... we eat. Pasta, that is." She added, as an afterthought, smiling and turning away. She took some knives and forks from a drawer, and moved over to the table. Olivia grinned, and turned her attention back onto the pasta. "You know," continued Alex, clearing the paperwork from the small dining table, "Donnelly told me she'd make the subpoena go away. It was very sweet of her"

"Maybe she feels bad after suspending her hottest ADA last month" Olivia spoke without thinking. It had meant to be a flirt, but she could see the look on Alex's face.

"Don't."

"I'm sorry Al, I didn't mean to..."

"It's ok."

Alex's phone started ringing, and she wandered over the the handset – lying under the legal journals she had been flicking through over breakfast.

"Hello?"

"Alex – it's Elliot. Put Olivia on?" Alex smiled at the fact that he knew she would be there, then her smiled faded as she realised what the call probably meant.

"Sure, hold on. Liv, it's Elliot" she offered the phone to Olivia, who groaned a little inside. She was tired. She wanted to eat pasta, then Alex, then kick back for a few hours – and make the world a safer place tomorrow morning.

"Yeah?" She said, trading the wooden spoon for the phone.

"You got any hours left?" He meant the hours per week limit. She had enough – and he knew it.

"Yeah, I do. Where are you?"

"Apartment on Third and East 25th. Have you eaten?"

"No, why?"

"You'll see. Fast as you can, please and thank you" Said Elliot, dryly, before hanging up. Olivia slotted the phone into its cradle, and shrugged at Alex.

"See you later"

"Call me, let me know how you're getting on?"

"Mmhm" Olivia moved around the apartment, collecting her jacket, shoes, badge, gun, phone. The little bits and pieces that made up Olivia – rather, Detective Benson. Alex liked having them around. Better still, she liked having Detective Benson on her dining table, and _Olivia _in her bed. On passing, Olivia stopped to kiss Alex, briefly, before heading to the door.

"And eat something – please!" Called Alex after her, and Olivia grabbed a banana from the fruit bowl and left the apartment. Alex sighed. The SVU never rests. And neither do the perps.


	2. Two, 'Legs'

_Chapter TWO – Legs_

Olivia got to the address, and followed the stream of uniforms up to the twelfth floor. The doorman was being questioned, and the apartment was sealed. A woman was crying on the landing, guarded by an officer. Olivia assumed she was whoever had discovered the victim. Elliot appeared at the apartment door.

"Liv, come and see this"

The smell of blood was thick in the apartment. Elliot led Olivia to the bedroom – where the smell was even stronger. Olivia was glad she had neglected to eat her banana. It was still on her dashboard. Melinda Warner was bent over a body on the ground next to the bed, the sheets of which were so red that on first glance they could have been dyed that way. The smell, and the brown tinges at the edges suggested otherwise. Warner moved back, and Olivia gasped as she saw what she couldn't before.

"Oh my god..."

The woman, in her mid-twenties and very beautiful, had been positioned on the floor with her head held up by on arm, the other laid in an almost seductive position near her chest. She was wearing a silk camisole, which stopped just short of her hips. The tops of her thighs were slender and toned, and below that – nothing. Nothing but a pool of thick blood and an awkward empty space. Olivia breathed out slowly. Elliot looked at her.

"I know. Her friend found her twenty minutes ago. She's a little traumatised."

"What happened?" Asked Olivia quietly – trying to shift her eyes from the body but unable to.

"She wasn't beaten. Her face is perfect, not a hair out of place. She's been dead for about twelve hours – since about three a.m. Rigor mortis is pretty much at maximum. She's not going to get any stiffer." Warner stood up, pulling off her latex gloves. "She must have been amputated on the bed, then your perp must have hung around for about three hours, then positioned her like this."

"He hung around for three hours?" Asked Elliot. "What did he do, just sit here and wait?"

"Not exactly. I think she might have been raped post motem."

"With or without her legs?" Asked Olivia, her eyes wide.

"Without. You've got enough blood loss here to kill anyone, and blood doesn't flow after an immediate death. But the bruising on her pelvis and genital area suggests a post-mortem rape."

"And the legs?" Said Olivia, turning to Elliot. "Please don't tell me he took them with him..." Elliot's silence told her enough. Olivia shook her head. "So who is she?"

"Recognised her before they found her id. Her name's Clarissa Rysik. The model; famous for..."

"...her legs." Finished Olivia. The amount of times she had seen the woman now lying on the floor in magazines and on billboards. Always in short skirts – if any skirts at all - she had been named 'the best legs in modelling'. And now, those legs had gone. And so had she.

- - -

"What's your name sweetheart?" Asked Olivia, gently questioning the friend who had found Clarissa.

"Emily Tate. I was staying with Clarissa while my apartment was being redecorated. I came in from work and I found her..." The girl started crying. She couldn't be much more than nineteen.

"Did you have a key Emily?"

"Yeah, Clarissa and I were friends, she said I could stay and have a key and everything"

"Where were you last night?"

"I was with my boyfriend, I told her, she said fine and she'd see me at work this morning"

"You're a model too?"

"Yeah. We had a shoot this morning, I got there, she never showed up. So afterwards I came here and I found her..." The girl was struggling to keep from breaking down, and Olivia tried to make her tone as comforting as possible.

"Ok Emily, can you think of anyone who would want to hurt Clarissa? Anyone she disliked?" Emily shook her head. "Anything at all?" Probed Olivia, gently.

"She didn't get on with her photographer – the one who shot us yesterday and this morning. He's a real jerk, always hitting on Clarissa then yelling at her on set..."

"Can you give my partner the details and address?" Asked Olivia, feeling her cell phone vibrate in her pocket. Emily nodded, and Elliot took the details as Olivia moved away.

"Benson"

"Liv, it's me"

"Hey Alex" Olivia's voice and body instantly relaxed. Somehow, Alex's voice just had that effect on her; it made Olivia feel so calm and so comfortable.

"How is it?"

"Bad. Really bad. I'll be at the precinct later. We might have to reschedule that pasta"

On the other end of the line, Alex smiled. "Ok. I'll come in"

"You don't have to do that Alex"

"It's fine. You might need me – for the case. Give me a couple of hours to finish some paperwork and I'll be there."

"Ok" Olivia smiled. She liked seeing Alex, even if it was for a fleeting second before ADA Cabot whisked out to secure a warrant. "See you later" She snapped the phone shut, and Elliot came up behind her.

"We have an address?" She asked. He nodded.

"Let's go."

_I know this chapter is short but they get longer and longer – you could draw a graph. Ten more reviews and I post the next chapter. I'm holding it ransom! It's all ready. So if you want more, you HAVE to review or else how will I know you love me so..?_


	3. Three, 'Mind Games'

_Chapter THREE – Mind Games_

"Find your mark, POSE! More neck, more neck you fucking bimbo! Jesus!"

Olivia and Elliot heard the shouting before they saw the man behind it. They walked onto the busy set, an almost nude model posing against a white background. Lights were everywhere, people running about with water and papers, and a man sitting behind a laptop who tried to stop them walking onto the set.

"Excuse me, this is a closed set"

"Zachary Games?" Asked Elliot, flashing his badge.

"No, he's the photographer – but you'd better not disturb him while he's working!"

"QUIET back there!" Came a shout.

"And why's that? Temper problem?" Asked Olivia, raising an eyebrow.

"You could say that!" Exclaimed the man in a hushed voice.

"Oh Zach?" Called Elliot, as he and Olivia marched around the lights, right into shot.

"What the FUCK are you doing in my shot!" Shouted the man with the camera – presumably Games.

"Detective Benson, this is detective Stabler." Said Olivia, showing her badge again. "We need to talk to you about Clarissa Rysik"

"She didn't come in for work this morning, not my problem, now get out"

"Mr Games we can arrest you right now for obstructing a police investigation, so we suggest you put that camera down, send your model to her dressing room and talk to us for ten minutes." Instructed Elliot, as clearly as he could. Games shot him a nasty look, but seemed to get the message.

"TEN MINUTE BREAK – Tanya don't you dare lose your focus or you're OUT do you hear me?" He turned to bark at the model, who nodded and slipped away.

"And stop eyeballing my partner..." Growled Elliot – under his breath. Olivia smiled at him.

"Thanks big brother, I can handle it" She whispered back.

"Ok, so what do you want?" Snapped Games, turning back to them, and overtly glancing Olivia up and down.

"You shot Clarissa yesterday?" Asked Elliot, leading the questioning.

"Yeah, and the other one – Emily. They were both supposed to come in this morning for the second part of the shoot. Clarissa didn't show up, but that's not my problem."

"How was she on the shoot?"

"As usual. Great legs but that's about it – I don't know why they keep booking her."

"We heard you hit on her a few times. Ever have sex?" Asked Elliot, blandly. Games frowned.

"What the fuck is that to do with you?"

"Just answer the question."

"I sleep with a lot of people, and yes, Clarissa too once or twice, but a long time ago."

"You sleep with all your models?" Asked Elliot, glancing towards the model who had just come off the shoot and was talking to the man with the laptop.

"Most of them. And with pretty girls who aren't models too. I'm single." He added, looking straight at Olivia, whose face remained impassive.

"I'm not. You get on with Clarissa?" She asked, suddenly very aware of her body as Games' eyes travelled all over it. She hated it when people did that. Well, most people.

"She's a silly little bitch, just like the rest of them – where is she? I'm not going to reschedule for her, I'm a busy man"

"I'll bet." Commented Olivia darkly. "And she won't be able to make it. She's dead."

"My condolences" Said Games, sarcastically. "But the amount of coke these girls do, we have an overdose a month during party season – and party season is all year round."

"You don't seem particularly upset" said Elliot, noting down the cocaine and choosing not to mention the real cause of death.

"She was just a pair of legs. We'll find another."

- - -

"Well he's nice." Said Olivia, as Games ran off shouting at some poor kid who bumped into a light.

"Very pleasant."

"Detectives?" They turned around. A young guy, about twenty-five, was standing there with a crate of water bottles in his arms. "I'm Clarissa's personal assistant, can I help?"

"Yeah, your name?" Asked Elliot, taking out his notepad again.

"Boyd Wallace. What happened to Clarissa?"

"She died early this morning." Said Olivia. The guy shook his head, put down the crate of water and sat on it.

"You know her well?" Asked Elliot. The guy nodded.

"Yeah, we got on pretty good. I work a lot of these shoots for that agency, but Clarissa I got to know quite well."

"Anyone might want to hurt her?"

"I don't know. Mr Games and her had some big falling out a few days ago after a product launch, but they often did. He used to hit on her a lot, and I think they hooked up a few times, but nothing even remotely serious."

"What time did you wrap up yesterday?" Asked Olivia.

"Not late. Around seven? Sometimes these things go on for hours, but Mr Games had a night shoot to do in central park. Clarissa was out of here by eight, she hung around with friends. I think they went to the Marquee club on tenth. That's usually where they go."

- - -

"Wow. S'a pretty nice place." Said Fin, walking into the Marquee Club.

"This is nicer than the places my ex-wives go to spend my money" Commented Munch, taking in the lights, the expensive couches, the bar with an extensive (and expensive) cocktail list. The place was being cleaned and stocked and readied for the night's trade.

"Can I help you gentlemen?" Said a young, good looking man dressed in jeans and a semi-smart shirt.

"Yeah, NYPD. Detectives Tituola and Munch. You the manager?"

"Yeah, Tobias Hill. Would you like to come into my office?"

- - -

"So the photographer's a jerk" Surmised Elliot to Cragen back at the precinct. They had rung Fin and Munch on the way over, sent them out. They quicker they could trace the victim's last steps, the more chance there was of getting a lead.

"You like him for it?" Cragen asked, looking over the evidence board which was beginning to fill up with crime scene photos and information.

"He's an asshole but that doesn't mean he did it." Reasoned Olivia.

"Language Detective!" Teased Elliot, his eyes laughing.

"I've run Huang, he'll be here when he can." Said Cragen, as if he disapproved of anyone having any other jobs to do rather than helping his team catch a killer. Someone handed him a few sheets of paper, and he glanced through them, before handing them to Olivia who was nearest to him.

"Lab results?" She asked, Elliot looking over her shoulder.

"Seems your vic was intimate with three different people in the week before her death." Said Cragen, crossing his arms.

"Three?" Asked Olivia, looking down at the results for herself.

"Well traces of semen can stay in the body for between three and seven days after sex, usually dies inside or... drips out." Said Elliot. Olivia tried not to make a face. There was no way you could make _that _sound pleasant. On the other hand a wet pu-

"So one was about a week ago – very faint traces, one was about four days ago and one was the rape. And they were all unprotected..." Elliot read through the results, stopping her train of thought and pinning the results up on the board.

"And none of them match anything in the system." Olivia sighed, getting up from the desk she had been leaning on and rubbing her stiff shoulder. It was still only the afternoon, but she had been ready – so ready – to relax with Alex. But, instead, it was going to be another long day at SVU.

- - -

"It's a real nice place you got here Mr Hill." Said Munch, settling down in a fancy leather chair.

"Tobias, please" He smiled at Munch. "But you didn't come all the way here to tell me that."

"We'd like to talk about one of your patrons. A model, name Clarissa Rysik" Said Fin, shooting a glance at his partner, and deciding to stand.

"Sure. Clarissa comes here a lot, I know her personally – the amount her and her friends spend at the bar. Sometimes she asks for a private section, sometimes not."

"And what goes on in the private sections?"

"I don't tolerate any drug taking on the premises, if that's what you're asking. But I can't be everywhere at once, and some of my staff may not be as vigilant." He admitted, leaning on the glass desk.

"Clarissa here last night?"

"Yeah, from about nine. She was with friends, they had dinner in a private room; that's something we do for our high profile patrons, then came into the main room at about eleven."

"You kept a close eye on her then?" Asked Fin, curious as to how someone with a night club so full could keep such a close eye on one person.

"Yeah, I mean it was busy, but Clarissa comes here so often, and she's a lot nicer in person than a lot of my other guests – I know her quite well now"

"Spreads the cash around too huh?" Added Munch. Tobias smiled, shrugged.

"That too, but looking after the people is more important than looking after the money."

"She get any hassle last night?"

"Yeah, actually. About midnight, the photographer Zach Games came in. He was a little drunk, a little aggressive. He's been in here before so my bouncers didn't throw him out but seemed very wound up."

"What he do?" Shot Fin, frowning. Elliot had painted a picture of Games over the phone, and Detective Odafin Tituola hadn't warmed to the description.

"Hit on Clarissa, then when she said no he started yelling insults. Got her so upset she left soon after."

"You remember what he said?"

"Yeah. I do. He said she was such a bad model they should cut off her legs and use them in a shoot by themselves."


	4. Four, 'Profiles and Jelousy Much'

_It's your lucky day. I'm actually close to finishing this story on paper and even closer in my head. I should be rewarding myself, instead I'm going to amaze myself with my own philanthropy by giving you this next chapter. Maybe even another one tomorrow – I've been busy. Please ignore the 'fanwank' (I learnt a new word today!) in this chapter. Just watched that particular episode and I couldn't help myself. Enjoy – and keep reviewing. Just because I make a terrible hostage taker doesn't mean you can't fuel the fire, keep it coming a little faster..._

_- - -_

_Chapter FOUR – Profiles and Jealousy, much?_

"Doctor Huang" said Cragen, coming out into the squad room at about six. Olivia and Elliot didn't look up from their screens; they had immersed themselves in information about the victim, and the photographer. Olivia could have sworn she heard the Captain add "about time..." under his breath, and she smiled to herself. "And Alex"

"We met in the elevator." Olivia heard the mention of Alex and had snapped her head up. Alex caught her eye and smiled. Olivia smiled back. She still couldn't help but blush, ever so slightly, when Alex came in and looked at her like that – like she did every day, and had done for a very long time, come to think of it.

"So, this looks interesting" Commented Dr Huang, planting himself in front of the evidence board and scanning everything on it.

"Yeah, if by interesting you mean sick." Offered Elliot. Huang shrugged.

"Your victim was a model. Unobtainable?"

"Not exactly. She had sex with three different people in the week prior to her death – one of those is the post-mortem rape."

"Three people?" He turned. Elliot nodded. "Typically these sorts of cases have a stalker element attached to them – of a highly sexual nature. This is very well planned, it's so detailed. Your killer thought about it for months, perfecting every last part in his head before executing his plan. It's possibly that he's a latent neurotic, someone with a history of various nervosas in his family."

"Nervosa – like bulimia nervosa?" Asked Olivia.

"Could be one of them. I would say you're looking for a man in his mid-twenties, frustrated with his position and social status. The power from removing the one thing that made this woman rich and successful would be very important to him. There's a confused history of mental disorders, say, a depressive mother and an anorexic sister – just for example. The legs... they provide more than a memento of the attack, they were a part of the person. They almost have a _practical _use."

"Now, what's a perp going to do with a spare pair of legs?" Scoffed Elliot. Huang smiled, gave a little shrug.

"You know, in advertising there are certain... criteria that women usually fall into. There was a study done a few years ago. For example, 'the kiss'. The woman is shown leaning back and accepting the kiss initiated by the man. Comodification is also common; the woman touches herself, she is desirable and, by extension, so is the product. And dismemberment – focusing on the breasts, the lips, the eyes or the legs is something we see every day. This woman became known by her legs. Your killer was – still is – fascinated by them."

During Huang's profiling, Alex had moved closer and closer to Olivia, eventually sitting on the chair next to her. When Huang had finished, Alex leaned over very close to Olivia, speaking very quietly.

"I want to take you out, after this case"

"What?"

"After this. I want to take you out to an expensive restaurant, wine you, dine you, woo you."

"And bed me?"

"Most definitely."

"Would I get flowers?"

"Most probably"

"Chocolates?"

"Don't push it." Alex's eyes were laughing, dancing. They made Olivia want to go with her right now.

"I'll think about it..." They suddenly realised how close they were to each other, and pulled back sharply, glancing around. Everyone seemed fairly occupied; Olivia breathed out and focused her attention solely on the computer screen. Alex glanced up, caught Huang's eye for just a second. He gave the faintest of knowing smiles (or was she just being paranoid?) and turned to the door.

"Guess where our friendly neighbourhood photographer was last night. The club Clarissa was at." Declared Fin, marching into the squad room, Munch right behind him.

"Guess what he said." Added Munch.

"Please, enlighten us." Said Cragen, arms firmly crossed. Munch took out his notepad and pretended to study it.

"Quote: You're such a bad model they should cut off your legs and use them by themselves."

Cragen gave his orders; "Alex, doc, stick around. Elliot, Olivia – bring him in"

_- - - _

Zach Games leant back against the chair, one arm over it, one arm stretched out on the table. He seemed calm, arrogant – as per usual. Alex, Olivia, Elliot, Cragen and Dr Huang were all gathered behind the glass. It was crowded – and Elliot in particular was spoiling for a fight.

"You know, I'm not sure" admitted Huang, in a low tone. "This is someone already in the spotlight; in the modelling world. He would have no need to take the legs with him; they symbolise more than a momento, they have a function. But he already had control of them on a set."

"Maybe that wasn't enough" Suggested Olivia.

"What he said – it can't be a coincidence" Added Elliot.

"See what you can do" Said Huang. "He might fit a totally different profile when he's angry."

- - -

"I knew you liked me." The first words from Games' mouth as Olivia sat down opposite him, and Elliot took up his familiar position, leaning against the cold concrete wall of the interview room. "But you could have just called. Not that I mind, I guess this is kind of sexy..."

Behind the glass, Alex felt the back of her neck twitch, her hairs standing on end. She hadn't realised how strongly she was frowning until her glasses began to press on her brow.

"Be quiet." Ordered Elliot.

"You show up at my work, at my apartment, what do you want?" He glanced at Olivia, barred his teeth in what she supposed was meant to be a sexy, predatory smile. "Stalking me, detective?"

"How about we ask the questions." Dictated Elliot, coming forward and leaning on the table in between Games and Olivia, who had starting pulling out photos of the crime scene. Games didn't even look down – keeping his eyes fixed on Olivia. Alex hadn't felt this jealous since she heard wind that Olivia was dating someone called 'Michael' (after much probing, Olivia had admitted that 'Michelle' was so deep in the closet she could see the shoulder pads, and Alex had rewarded Olivia's honesty with a night to remember...).

Games cocked his head at Olivia. "You done any modelling, detective – Benson, right? You know, why don't you give me a call, I could set you up with some friends of mine, you'd be a model in no time at all..."

"I bet you say that to all the girls." Said Olivia, curtly.

"But none of them are as sexy as you..."

Two things happened; behind the glass, Alex shot out 'Bastard!' so fast even she barely heard it, jumping back from the glass that she hadn't realised she had been inching towards. In front of it, Elliot banged his hands down on the glass so hard that Olivia almost jumped, and Elliot hand landed so close to Games' that he drew back with a yelp. Such sudden force would have surely broken a little finger or two; shame Elliot's palm hadn't landed half an inch to the right or that might have happened.

Cragen glanced at Alex, giving her a look that said 'what on earth's the matter with you?', before turning his attention back into the room. Alex cleared her throat and attempted some deep breaths, as surreptitiously as possible.

"Finished?" Hissed Elliot, right into Games' face. "Believe me, by the time we're done here we have enough evidence to screw you so hard you'll wish you'd never asked."

Games looked like he was struggling between coming up with a slick response or keeping his fingers unbroken. Wisely, he chose to stay silent.

"What do you make of these then Zach?" Asked Olivia, pushing the photos across the table. Games barely glanced at them.

"Composition's terrible. It's not selling anything. It doesn't work as a picture."

Olivia leaned forward, incredulous. "You think these are modelling photos?" Games didn't bother looking at them again, just slid them back towards Olivia.

"What other photos are there?" He asked, nonchalantly, pushing the last photo back to Olivia. Elliot grabbed his hand, pushed it back so that it was right under Games' nose.

"Try crime scene photos."

"You saying this is real?"

"Yeah, and we're saying you did it." Said Olivia. "You remember what you said to Clarissa Rysik?"

"I said a lot of things to Clarissa."

"Which involved a direct threat to cut off her legs and use them in a shoot by themselves." Concluded Elliot.

"You've got _nothing _on me!" Hissed Games, leaning forward. The ugly personality became even clearer behind the perfect teeth and perfectly styled hair. For all the money, time and beauty products in the world, some people were still downright ugly. You just didn't see it at first.

"Oh no?" Asked Elliot, confidently. "We've got motive. We've got that little impromptu confession at the bar last night, that makes for intent. Anything else you can give us, Zach? Like, means?"

"Do you own a nice big shiny kitchen knife Zach?" Asked Olivia, her eyes gleaming as she bent forward too, staring straight into Games' eyes. Games shrugged.

"I do. But I sure as hell wasn't using it last night. I was busy."

"Anyone who can corroborate that?"

"Yeah, about three of them." He took out his wallet, opened it, pulled out a scrap of napkin with a name and a phone number on it. He glanced at the name. "Looks like 'Mindy' will be able to tell you all about it." He began to stand up, but Elliot grabbed him by the shoulder and pushed him back down again.

"Not so fast. Give us a DNA sample."

"A what?"

"You open your mouth, we take a swab, we clear you – or charge you." Olivia smiled. "It's easy."

"No way, I'm not doing that."

"And why's that? If you're so innocent, what's the big deal?" Elliot sat down next to Olivia.

"My lawyer. NOW!" Demanded Games, and proceeded to sit there with his arms crossed until the woman arrived.

The team reconvened in Cragen's office, apart from Elliot who had gone to check the man's alibi. Alex was sitting down in a chair, Olivia was holding on the back of it, and leaning forward just enough to have her arms brush Alex's back. They had always been like this – even before they finally, clumsily, brilliantly ended up together. There had always been something; if you were quick enough to spot it.

"Alex?" Asked Cragen, soliciting her entire professional expertise with one word. That was what she was there for, after all.

"I can't charge the guy for being an asshole, as much as I'd like to. But I'll sit in when you're talking with the lawyer. I used to know her – Lara Prole. She handles a lot of 'celebrity in trouble' cases." Alex's tone strongly implied 'sell out!', and Olivia could feel the ghost of a smile at her own lips. She was fairly certain Alex had an ulterior motive for being in the room – to watch Games' advances. "So I'll be there to make sure he – I mean, his lawyerdoesn't try... anything..." Finished Alex, lamely. She glanced at Huang, who had his eyebrow ever so slightly raised. His eyes were laughing at her. _Shit – he knows_ thought Alex, shifting her attention determinedly back onto Cragen.

Elliot walked into the room.

"His alibi checks out – at least, so said Mindy, after a bit of probing."

Cragen sighed. "She might be lying – took him a while to give her up. Get back in there, get his DNA."

- - -

"Alex!" Said Lara Prole, as Alex walked into the room and pulled up a chair.

"Lara. Long time no see. Are you representing mere photographers now too?" This obviously irked Games, but he stayed silent.

"My client hasn't done anything other than make a comment which, in hindsight, might seem relevant but was actually nothing more than an off-the-cuff insult. My client apologises, but unless the occasional... slip of the tongue..." at this there was the merest glance at Alex, as if the phrase held some special significance. Alex struggled to keep her face impassive as Olivia searched it, an eyebrow almost raised. "... is now against the law, I suggest you let Mr Games go."

"My alibi check out then?" Grinned Games. Elliot stepped in quickly.

"Unfortunately, Mindy wasn't home. So how about a DNA sample while we wait?"

"There is nothing – nothing at all that proves my client is guilty!" Prole, exasperatedly.

"And there is even less that proves him innocent. A DNA sample is all we ask." Replied Alex. Games fidgeted in his chair. Despite everything, he still managed to look Alex up and down, and Olivia felt like punching him even more than she had done earlier.

"What will happen to my DNA after the test?"

"Why do you ask?" Alex frowned, as Olivia and Elliot exchanged glances.

"You got something against your DNA going into the system Zach?" Asked Elliot. "You got something to hide?"

"Alex, you know as well as I do that DNA gets around, and that a jury has a hard time finding the truth if a scientist even mentions the word! Even forensics is not an infallible form of evidence."

"Then what _is _infallible evidence Lara?" Dared Alex, a hint of contempt in her voice.

"Finding someone else's panties in your partner's pocket." Came the quick reply. Lara Prole stared Alex straight in the eyes. Olivia and Elliot exchanged more glances – over something else this time, as Games stared at his attorney, utterly confused.

Alex took just a second. Barely blinked.

"If we use your client's sample for the sole purposes of this investigation, and do not check it against police records will he consent to the test?" She asked. Prole opened her mouth but Games leant forward, finally feeling edgy.

"Yeah, I'll do it."


	5. Five, 'Sleep'

_Guess what? I finished it. I'll keep posting the parts close real close to each other, get the entire thing up before I go off and do some exams and some hard-core studying next week. After that, maybe I'll start up another story. In the meantime, you can expect some one shots – I won't be able to help myself. Writing isn't a hobby. It's an addiction without a cure... Enjoy – after this there are 6 chapters left to go and I haven't seen any begging for a while. Get to it!_

_- - -_

_Chapter FIVE – Sleep_

"It was a choice between closing this case and opening another." Said Alex, defending her actions the second they all left the room.

"Right choice. One thing at a time." Said Cragen. Alex looked to Olivia, who nodded her agreement.

"Can we hold him on anything?" Demanded Elliot. Alex pursed her lips, held them tightly together, searching for something – anything.

"No. Not until we have the DNA"

"The lab results won't be in until tomorrow, what if he goes out again?" Implored Olivia, her eyes staring directly into Alex's, who held her gaze for a moment longer than she would for anyone else.

"Would he?" She asked, turning to Huang.

"Hard to tell. This attack was so planned, so thought over. But there's no knowing how many women he has this sort of encounter with. I'm still not convinced it's him, but if it is, there is a strong possibility that there is someone else like Rysik who he would want to inflict pain on."

"Any previous charges we can make a stink about?" Cragen asked Elliot, knowing he had been going over Games' file.

"A violation or two and a misdemeanour. He paid his fines and spent a total of eight days in jail, but those were all years ago and nothing sexual."

"Alex, please tell me we can hold him?" Olivia looked straight at her again. Alex barely met her eyes this time.

"As clear as it may be to us, it's even clearer to his attorney that there's no solid evidence that we can hold him on. Everything is at best circumstantial." She sighed. "There's nothing I can do." Not even for you Olivia, she added silently in her head.

"Ok. First thing tomorrow morning we get those results and we see what we've got." Said Cragen, as everyone filtered out, disappointed and disheartened.

"Tomorrow we get him." Reassured Elliot. Olivia nodded.

"But tonight, we rest." Added Munch, overhearing and fitting his hat squarely on his head. Elliot glanced at his partner, barely bothering to tell her to go home, but Olivia knew he would have done – if there was a chance she would listen. He pulled on his jacket and walked out of the precinct. It was late. Olivia hadn't realised how much time had passed during the interrogation – or the day in general.

"Come home with me tonight" Came a low voice in her ear. Olivia smiled.

"I don't know, I need some sleep!"

"I'll make it worth your while"

"Exactly, and I need the sleep."

"So we'll just sleep." Reasoned Alex, pulling up a chair and sitting very close to Olivia – checking this time that the squad room was quiet first. "Come on. Every time we go to each other's apartments its for a... purpose. And as much as I like that purpose, believe me I love that purpose..." Olivia felt a little flutter, Alex's words were just melting in her ear. "I'd like to just spend some time with you – without getting interrupted."

"You say all the right things councillor. But, tell me, what was all that with Miss Lara the attorney?"

"Ah."

- - -

"You hungry?" Asked Alex, the second they came through the door, tossing her keys on the side. The story of Lara Prole had been told, and Olivia had just laughed – thank god.

"Very."

"Help yourself, you know where everything is..." Both women smiled as they took in the comfort and familiarity that a little fact like that held. "I need to read over some notes and organise them before they fly out of my mind. I'll be ten minutes."

"You have to do that as soon as you get home?" Called Olivia from the fridge, as Alex unpacked her messenger bag.

"The very second I walk through the door, or it won't get done at all." She sat down at her dining room table, began speed flicking through the contents of her bag.

"Alex, what made you decide you wanted to become an ADA – lawyer whatever?" Asked Olivia, wandering back from the kitchen five minutes later, chewing salad and twirling a particularly green leaf around on her fork. Alex looked up from the case notes she had been going through.

"The paperwork, naturally" She remarked dryly. She took off her glasses and rubbed her eyes.

"There's a lot huh?" Said Olivia, sitting down next to Alex and offering her the forkful. Alex smiled and shook her head. "Can I help?"

"Probably not but you can sit there eating salad and keep me company. Sorry, I'll be done in a few minutes."

"Sure. You didn't answer my question. You wanted to go into the legal, um, profession?"

"Well, daddy said it would be nice, and I wanted the trust fund so..."

Olivia laughed, and glanced round Alex's apartment. The building was expensive, as was the furniture and most of Alex's clothing. Olivia had never seen her throw money around carelessly, but she had been happy to pay for coffee, drinks, cabs when they were out together – when she didn't give in to Olivia's pleas to split the bill down the middle. "And you got it, obviously!" She said, lightly.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alex sighed. "Sorry. Didn't mean to snap. And I didn't get it. I told my father I was gay, and he said fine, pay your own way and close the door on your way out."

"So hard work paid for all this?" Said Olivia, her eyes widening a little.

"Yeah. You should try it sometime." She said, smiling. Olivia let it slide, knowing it was an outright tease. "What about you? What do you want to be when you grow up?"

"Ha ha. No, I wanted to go into SVU because... my mother..."

"She had a trust fund too?"

"No, she was raped."

Alex was silent. She wasn't completely surprised – silently kicking herself; she was sure she had known this or heard wind of it. Olivia's face made her heart twist a little – she tried to look Olivia in the eye but Olivia was looking down at the table. When Olivia raised her head, her eyes were a little wetter than usual maybe, but filled with a blankness that comes from telling the same sad truth over and over.

"...and then she had me." Finished Olivia, lamely.

"Oh baby. I'm so sorry"

"It's not your fault. It happened."

"I meant for being insensitive. She must have been really strong. To... to chose not to have an abortion." Alex winced a little as the words came out, but Olivia seemed grateful that she had spoken the truth – presumably, most didn't.

"Yeah. And it means I'm here, now. Doing what I do. She died, a year ago? Maybe more. Drunk. She fell down some steps..." Alex couldn't bear the hurt in Olivia's voice. She put down her glasses and her paper in an instant.

"Come on. Let's go to bed."

"You have all this stuff"

"It can wait."

That night, Alex lay behind Olivia, her arms holding her, every bend in her body tucking in, fitting with Olivia's. Alex held her, kissed her hair.

"I'm ok Alex, I've had a long time to get used to it" Said Olivia, eventually, her words out there – bouncing around in the darkness.

"I know, I know. I just like... holding you like this..." Whispered Alex.

"I like it too... why are we whispering?"

"Because it's dark. You're supposed to whisper when it's dark." Alex whispered, then without thinking, breathed the next three words so quietly that she wasn't even sure if she heard them herself. "I love you"

There was a long pause. Alex didn't know whether Olivia had heard her, had fallen asleep, or was choosing not to respond. She held very still, careful not to tighten or loosen her hold on Olivia.

"You can hold me all night if you want to" Said Olivia, quietly.

"Ok." Replied Alex.


	6. Six, 'All My Love'

_Chapter SIX – All my love_

Alex woke up to the sound of the shower in her bathroom. Rather, to the sound of it stopping suddenly, and the sliding of the glass shower door. She lay on the bed, comfortably tangled in the sheets for a minute, before turning over, and watching through the slightly open door. Olivia stepped out of Alex's shower, wrapped one of Alex's towels around her body, and ran her fingers through her short hair while looking in Alex's mirror. Alex smiled. Olivia could use all and any of her things – she didn't mind. In fact, it was almost a shame that they had started keeping a few spare clothes at each other's apartments; Alex had really loved going into the squad room after a night with Olivia, and seeing Olivia wearing one of her shirts or sweaters. And she had loved how, after borrowing some of Olivia's clothes, she could smell Olivia all day.

Alex swung her legs around, slid out of bed. She wasn't wearing much, but Olivia came out of the bathroom, took one look, and removed what little clothing Alex had on. Wordlessly, Olivia took off the towel, and dropped it over the rail in the bathroom, then walked towards Alex, guiding her back onto the bed, and beginning to kiss her collar bones. Olivia's hand was resting on Alex's hip; she could feel the soft skin, still warm and untouched after the stillness that sleep brings. Moving down and across, Olivia kissed the skin that got softer and softer under her lips, carving a path down between Alex's breasts, around Alex's flat stomach, and towards one of her very favourite parts of Alex. Throughout all of this, all of the tingles and twitches that had been travelling through Alex's body, she had stayed almost silent, her body's reaction and her heavy breathing doing the talking. There was such a silent understanding between the two of them, why break it with unnecessary words?

Olivia smiled, running her lips across Alex's hip bones, enjoying the sensation of having Alex _there_, having _Alex_ right _there,_ in front of _her_.

Then, the phone rang.

"Are you SERIOUS?" Exclaimed Olivia, shooting up the bed and alongside Alex in a second. "I'm sorry. I have to get that." Alex sighed as Olivia jack-knifed out of the bed, walked out the room, came back holding her cell phone.

"Benson." She snapped.

Alex didn't bother listening. Instead she just stared up at the ceiling and wondered whether this made it the eighth or ninth time they had been interrupted by a phone call that required immediate attention.

"I have to go." Said Olivia, ending the call and tossing her cell phone onto the bed.

"I know. See you later?"

"Yeah, I might go and work out for a little while, but I'll be there."

"Ok." Olivia leant on the bed and kissed Alex, softly, longingly. She was still naked, but in Olivia's mind Alex knew that Detective Benson was fully dressed and out of the door. And, in a few minutes, she was.

Alex sighed. Got up. Got dressed. And left the apartment.

- - -

"What's up?" Called Olivia, walking into Clarissa Rysik's apartment. She nodded to Emily Tate, who was standing near the bedroom door, hovering. "How are you doing Emily?" Emily shurgged. Elliot stuck his head out of the bedroom. "What is it Elliot?"

Elliot raised his eyebrows at the sudden attack. "What happened to you? Lovers tiff?"

"Don't even..." Olivia breathed out. "What have you found?"

"Ring box. Quite a few, actually."

"So?"

"They haven't got rings in them." Elliot picked up another box from the top of a wardrobe, and added it to the little collection he was starting on the dressing table. Olivia pulled a glove out of her pocket, put it on and opened the box. Inside was a little packet of fine white powder.

"Cocaine..." Said Olivia, looking closely at the little packet.

"I thought she was clean" Olivia turned around, Emily was standing there crying. "Her parents wanted her photos, her things. I went to get them because they were really upset, and I found one of the boxes... She _swore _to me that she didn't take it any more. Then I find out that she took it at every party she could."

"Emily, you couldn't have known." Olivia reassured her. "Did you find out who she took it with? Where she got it?"

"No. But some people said she always had plenty. And that she was more than willing to share." Emily wiped her eyes.

"There's a note in this one..." Said Elliot, checking inside another one of the boxes.

"This one too..." Olivia looked inside another box. "It says 'All my love, BW'" She checked another. "Exactly the same in this one too."

"BW? Who's BW?" Asked Elliot, looking at Emily, who shrugged.

"Dealer?" Guessed Olivia.

"How many dealers send all their love?"

"Emily," said Olivia, "did Clarissa have an address book?"

Emily blinked. "Well, she had her cell phone... if that's what you mean..."

Olivia glanced up at Elliot, wondering if he felt old too. "Sure. Do you know where it is?"

Emily looked around, pointed to the floor where the phone was still charging since before the attack. Her eyes filled with fresh tears. "She never even took it off the charger..."

Olivia lead Emily out of the room, comforting her, while Elliot picked up the phone and went through the names and numbers. It looked like Clarissa had transferred all the details from a computer; there were names, numbers, addresses and emails addresses. Coming across a familiar name, Elliot stopped, and pulled out his notepad to check against it.

"Olivia!"

"Yeah?" She came back in the room.

"Remember Boyd Wallace?"

"BW. Her assistant"

"Time we looked him up, don't you think?"

Olivia nodded. Her phone rang. "Why does everyone always call _me..._ Benson."

"What is it?"

"Ok, see you later." She hung up. "That was Fin. We've got another body."

"Same MO?"

"Similar, apparently."

"Ok, I'll take the coke to the lab, you go to the scene, meet back at the precinct. I'll check out Boyd Wallace too, get him picked up." Said Elliot. Olivia nodded her agreement, turned to go. "Liv?"

"Yeah?"

"Was it really a lovers tiff?" He asked, quietly. Olivia gave a small, rueful smile.

"You just keep calling at the wrong time, don't you El?" She said, walking out.


	7. Seven, 'Another'

_Chapter SEVEN – Another_

"Please tell me she has her legs" Begged Olivia, stepping onto the scene and looking at the Medical Examiner. They were in the female toilets of the Marquee club on Tenth – where the first victim had been the night of her attack. It was a nice place – glamorous lounges, fancy lights, a guest list that read like 'People' magazine... shame about the dead body in one of the cubicles.

"She has her legs." Said Warner, pausing. "It's her hands she's missing."

"Her _hands_?"

"From the wrist down. So, no fingerprints, not that we need them."

"Who is she?" Said Olivia, looking down at the victim, who lay slumped in a cubicle, bloody stumps where the hands should be lying limp on her chest.

"Nabila Harris, age twenty-four, model. There's semen, I'll get it tested but I'll bet a month's salary that it matches the last one. She was raped _before _she was killed, and your killer didn't wait this time to position her. He tried but evidentially he didn't have the time. Cocaine traces around her nose. She was partying."

"When was she discovered?"

"This morning. The toilets had an 'Out of order' sign on them – we're dusting for prints on it – so people just used the ones upstairs. Cleaners found her."

"What did she model?" Asked Olivia. Warner shrugged, but a male uniform leaned over and answered her question.

"She was always caressing herself, you know, touching her body for perfume ads"

It struck a chord with something Huang had said; the woman is desirable and by extension, so is the product. Olivia sighed. So many adverts. So many women.

- - -

"Well, she still had her legs. Just missing the hands" Said Olivia, coming back into the precinct. Elliot was on the phone, he caught her eye and nodded grimly. Alex was there too, sitting at Olivia's desk and making some notes. Olivia suddenly felt guilty for interrupting Alex last night, and made a mental note never to reveal deep emotional things about herself until Alex was done working.

"It wasn't Games." Said Elliot, hanging up. "His semen was found in Clarissa, but very faint traces, as the least recent sample."

"So he had sex with her a week ago?" Asked Olivia.

"About six days according to the lab. But he's not the killer."

"On the other hand, the second sample gave a partial hit in the system." Said Cragen, pouring himself a coffee, and offering one to Alex, who shook her head. She wasn't drinking that stuff. "The lab were worried about contamination because of all the different samples in her body, so they widened the search and figured it could be a close blood relative of..." He checked the file in his hand. "Damien Hill, currently doing twelve years in Sing Sing for armed robbery and assault-"

"Well he got off lightly!" Exclaimed Alex.

"That's because you weren't the one doing the prosecuting" Said Cragen.

"Thank you Captain, I'm so glad I'm seen as a hard-core death penalty bitch." Quipped Alex, dryly.

"You're just doing your job." Reassured the Captain. Olivia rolled her eyes. Don Cragen really did have a soft spot when it came to Alex.

"This Damien, he got a brother?" Asked Fin. Elliot typed a few things into the computer.

"He has one brother, don't know the name. Why?"

Fin glanced at Munch. "Looks like 'call me Tobias' ain't telling us everything."

- - -

"Mr Hill, you know why you're here?" Asked Fin, in the interview room.

"No, I'm hoping you can tell me."

"We just want to ask you some more questions about Clarissa." Said Munch. "You didn't mention that you had sex with her about four days before she was killed."

"Your DNA was found in her body." Added Fin. "We ran it through the system and found a partial hit on a close blood relative. Your brother Damien." Tobias flinched at the mention of his brother.

"Clarissa and I... We were having a relationship. It was only casual, but after I found out she had slept with that photographer I told her I wanted something more serious."

- - -

"You want to come to my place tonight?" Olivia asked Alex on the other side of the glass. They were alone.

"I'd love to" Replied Alex. "Got any warrants you need me to get? I'm feeling a bit useless here."

"Don't you have paperwork to do?"

"I've done it!"

"Well then you can stay here as my eye candy, how about that?"

Alex smiled.

- - -

"Why didn't you tell us all this?" Asked Munch.

"Because I figured I'd wind up here! You would take one look at Damien's file and say, huh, maybe the brother likes murder – well I don't!"

"We ain't saying you killed her." Said Fin. "Your DNA wasn't the most recent, if you get my drift. We're saying you might know who did."

Munch leaned forward. "Tell us about that night again. Did she leave alone?"

"No, she rang her assistant, Boyd something, to pick her up."

"Well why didn't you tell us this before?" Exclaimed Fin.

"It happened all the time! She would get drunk, if I could I would take her home but if I had to work she'd ring up the guy! He doted on her, ran after her like a dog, was happy to do it!"

"We got him." Said Olivia under her breath. Elliot knocked once on the door and opened it.

"Got a hit in the system, fingerprint from the ring boxes matches the print on the bogus sign in the club, which matches Boyd Wallace."

"He's in the system?" Asked Olivia.

"Yep. Petty larceny back in college. And get this, his mother was a manic depressive"

"Just like Huang said..."

"Just like Huang said." Repeated Elliot.


	8. Eight, 'Iris Ryan'

_Chapter Eight – Iris Ryan_

"Why do _we_ have to sit here and bring this guy in?" Pondered Munch, sitting behind the wheel of his car, parked outside Wallace's apartment.

"Because we're not the Cap's favourite children?" Guessed Fin.

"Speak for yourself. Donny and I get on great"

"Yeah, you're about the same age..."

- - -

"I hate to say 'I told you so', but it wasn't the photographer, was it?" Guessed Huang, looking at the photos of the second victim.

"No. And this guy won't stop at two, right?" Asked Elliot, already knowing the answer.

"Right. I looked some more into the 'images of women in advertising' idea, came up with some more themes that seem to fit. Ritualisation of subordination, women are physically lower, on a bed, on the floor like your victims. Then there's 'ritualistic touching', the woman's body is the precious product. Your second victim seems to fit that archetype, so she got her hands cut off. It's not so much the hands themselves as what they do."

"Ok, what else is there?" Asked Elliot.

"Licensed withdrawal, function ranking, woman as child – there's a summary in the file. He's making mistakes though, he rushed the last one. Probably tried to go home with the victim, when that didn't work he had to improvise. He'll keep making mistakes."

"Ok..." Elliot noticed something, glanced at Olivia. "You catching?"

Olivia looked up. Elliot nodded towards the door, where a young woman was hovering, looking around. She looked about twenty, maybe a little younger. She was thin, tall, a striking face framed by perfect long brown waves of hair. She screamed 'model'. Olivia got up, went to her.

"Hi, can I help you?" She asked, gently.

"I need to report an attempted rape."

"Ok. I'm Detective Benson, let's go somewhere private, ok?"

"Use my office" Said Cragen, on his way out of the squad room. Olivia nodded, led the woman to the Captain's office. As the door closed, Olivia's cell phone started ringing where she had left it on her desk. Alex, as the nearest person, picked it up almost on reflex.

"Benson's phone"

"Alex?" It was Munch, Alex mouthed 'Munch' to Elliot, who nodded, came closer.

"Hi John, Olivia's with a woman who just walked in"

"Oh. Well, Boyd Wallace didn't show up for work this morning, and his landlady didn't see him last night, she was trying to collect his rent. We're sitting on the apartment, he's got to come back sometime."

"Ok, I'll pass the news on."

"See you later." Munch hung up. "Huh."

"What?" Asked Fin, glancing again at the apartment building and the street.

"Cabot picked up Benson's cell phone."

"So? 'Livia was probably catchin', left her phone in the squad room."

"They've been hanging around a lot in the past few months."

"And? They're both workaholics, they probably go out after work to talk about work, before comin' back to work."

Munch ignored him. "Last week I went to pick up a take-out for one at that Chinese near my place, saw them in there. I don't think they were talking about work."

"What did they do?" Asked Fin, only vaguely interested.

"Saw me, invited me to sit down with them"

Fin laughed. "So what's your problem?"

"When I regretfully declined they could barely keep the smiles from their faces."

"Them and me both. Anyway, what you got your conspiracy face on for? What you got against Alex? She not Jewish enough for you?"

"No one can be too Jewish – not even my ex-wives – I'll tell you that. That our guy?" He added, pointing at someone walking down the street. Fin glanced at the photo on the dash, nodded, and made to get out of the car. Munch laid a hand on his arm. "Wait and see what he gets"

Fin nodded. Wallace walked into the apartment.

"I'll cover the fire escape, just in case. You want me to take him as soon as he comes out?"

"Yeah."

Fin took up position by the fire escape, five minutes later Wallace came out of the apartment, hurriedly.

"Going somewhere?" Asked Fin, grabbing onto Wallace's shoulder with an iron grip and flashing his badge with the other hand. Munch got out of the car, came over and took the brown envelope out of Wallace's hands, shook it.

"What's in here?"

"Nothing!"

"Probable cause? There's definitely _something _in there" Said Munch. Fin nodded.

Munch pulled a photo out of the unsealed envelope. It was a modelling shot, looked straight out of a magazine in its lighting, style. A pedestal, surrounded by big lights, and a spot light right on it.

The only peculiar thing was that the body was missing. It was just a pair of legs on that pedestal.

"Well, well, well what have we here?" Said Munch, showing Fin the photo, who took out his cuffs.

"Boyd Wallace, you're under arrest for the murder of Clarissa Rysik and Nabila Harris. You have the right to remain silent, anything you do say..."

- - -

"What's your name?"

"Iris Ryan"

"Ok Iris. Is there anyone you want us to call?" Asked Olivia, clicking the pen and writing at the top of the pad.

"I rang my mom. She's on her way."

"Do you need to go to the hospital, were you hit?"

"No, I'm fine." She was so calm, so rational. Olivia was almost surprised until it occurred to her that Iris Ryan might be in denial.

"Ok. Tell me what happened."

"I was leaving the house to go to work, I'm a model and I was on my way to do a commercial" Olivia looked up. What this girl escaped was something she didn't want to think about. "I opened the door, and I was instantly pushed back into the house. He pushed me onto the floor and tried to pull my trousers down while holding my arms down like this" she raised her arms over her head. "but the alarm started going off because the door hadn't been shut properly. He hesitated, then ran off."

"Did he say anything during the attack?"

"He kept mumbling all the products I've modelled for. I've been modelling since I was a kid. It was like hearing my resumé."

"Could you identify him?"

"He didn't hide his face, that was weird" Olivia swallowed. He probably wasn't planning to have left her alive – no need to hide his face if the only witness is a dead body. "And he seemed familiar, like I'd seen him around, but I see a lot of people around."

"Could you identify him out of a line-up?"

"Probably."

"Iris!" Olivia jumped as the girl's stricken mother burst through the doors. "How dare you question my child!"

Olivia blinked, looked at Iris, who was sitting at the table. There was a feeling of dread in Olivia's stomach.

"Iris, how old are you?"

"She's fifteen detective!" Exclaimed the mother. Olivia's jaw almost dropped open.

"Mrs Ryan, I am so sorry, I thought your daughter was at least 18, I'm sorry"

"Well she's not, so she recants her statement and we won't press charges"

"Why? Mrs Ryan, Iris said she could identify who tried to do this to her! We think it's the same man who has raped and killed at least two other women!"

"Mom, it's fine, I can do this."

"Well I can't. You had no right to question her without me present. Let's go sweetie." Mrs Ryan led her daughter out, leaving Olivia in the room. Grabbing the pad, she came back into the squad room.

"What was all that about?" Asked Elliot, watching as the Ryans high-tailed it out of the squad room.

"How old did you think she was?" Asked Olivia, feeling a little helpless.

"Twenty?" Guessed Alex, Elliot nodding his agreement. Olivia shook her head, which was beginning to hurt like a bitch.

"Nineteen?" Tried Elliot.

"Fifteen!" Cried Olivia, utterly frustrated.

"No way. Did she tell you?" Asked Elliot. Olivia shook her head again, regretting it when a fresh explosion of pain shot across her brow.

"No! And I didn't think to ask. She was being so calm, I thought it might be denial... I wanted to get her statement while she could tell me! She said she could identify her attacker!"

"Shit." Said Alex, tossing down her pen. "The first victim was raped post mortem so that's only a misdemeanour, I can only tie him to 'active' rape for the second victim," she rubbed her brow with her fingers exasperatedly. "At the moment I don't have enough to get this guy for the death penalty – which I would very much like to do!"

"If she already gave a statement..." Started Elliot.

"The mother pulled it! If that girl was eighteen we wouldn't even be having this conversation, Wallace would be on his way to his last meal. At the moment, without his DNA or her statement he'll be out in twenty-five with good behaviour."

"And with just DNA?" Probed Elliot.

"He'll plead poor mental health because of his mother's manic depression and he'll serve life in a psychiatric hospital – shit! I need her to identify him and testify against him in court as the only living witness"

Olivia hung her head, feeling responsible. Alex, feeling immensely guilty for what she had just said, had to fight every urge to hug her and kiss her, and reassure her that it was not her fault.

"Give me enough for a warrant for his apartment, his DNA and try and persuade the mother." She said, gently. Fin and Munch chose that moment to walk in triumphantly, dropping a photo in a clear evidence bag onto Olivia's desk in front of Alex.

"Found this on Mr Wallace as he was coming out of his apartment."

Alex took one look and let out a low breath. "That is sick. You'll have your warrant by the time you finish your coffee. I'd get him his lawyer – just so long as it isn't Lara Prole!" She added, out of the door in a matter of seconds.


	9. Nine, 'Snap'

_Chapter Nine – Snap_

Olivia and Elliot stood outside the Ryan's residence. Olivia was ready to do anything she could to get Iris' mother on side. She was still kicking herself for missing the signs that she had now convinced herself had been there – and kicking herself even more for letting down Alex. Elliot rang the doorbell, there was a pause, and Mrs Ryan answered the door. She sighed, but still shook her head.

"I'm sorry detectives, but a no is a no."

"Please Mrs Ryan, we really need Iris to testify against her attacker in court. We've got him, we just need to hold him." Olivia pleaded. "May we come in?"

Mrs Ryan sighed again, leaning against the door post, thinking. "You look like a pair of kids, asking if my daughter can come out and play." She gave a faint smile. "She went into modelling so young, I don't think she got to play much." She paused. "Come in. Wipe your feet."

"How's Iris doing?" Asked Olivia, as they walked into a small but neat living room.

"Surprisingly well. She's such a level-headed girl."

"I've spoken to women twice, even three times her age who aren't anything near as collected as Iris was." Said Olivia, sitting down in the seat that was offered. Mrs Ryan swallowed, nodded.

"I'm sorry detectives, I don't even know your names..."

"Olivia Benson. My partner, Elliot Stabler." Said Olivia, quickly.

"Is Iris' father in the picture?" Asked Elliot, who had been scanning the photographs along the sideboard. Mrs Ryan's face looked a little pained, she swallowed again, and managed to shake her head. Olivia's instinct told her something was up. She turned to Elliot.

"Elliot, could you..." She didn't have to finish.

"I'll wait in the car. It was good to meet you, Mrs Ryan" He nodded, smiled and left.

"Mrs Ryan, at the precinct, when Iris said she could handle it, you said that you couldn't..." Olivia trailed off, gently. If Mrs Ryan wanted to talk, then Olivia was going to have to coax her, very slowly, very gently.

"You're observant" She commented, dryly.

"It's my job."

Mrs Ryan looked at a photo of Iris as a young girl. She looked at it for a long time, then, still looking at it, starting talking.

"I don't want Iris going through it all. Giving the statement, picking someone out of a line, testifying in court... I was raped, when I was twenty-three years old. By an ex. It went to court, he said we had been still together and that I hadn't said no. He walked." She looked at Olivia, her eyes glistening. "I couldn't have an abortion. So Iris was born."

Something inside Olivia started to stir, twisting and turning so much that Olivia could barely speak. She leaned forwards, closer to Mrs Ryan, afraid her voice wouldn't travel the distance if she was too far away.

"I can relate to that." Mrs Ryan's eyes met hers, surprised. "My mother was raped when she was in college, and she had me."

"But your job... you deal with cases every day..."

"It's difficult." Admitted Olivia. "But it's something that drives me. I will do everything I can to catch whoever did it. I won't stop, I won't eat, I won't sleep until I find him."

"And it's why you're here now, isn't it." It wasn't a question.

"I can't just walk away." Olivia attempted a smile. "That, and, I want to be in our ADA's good books."

Mrs Ryan leant forward, conspiratorially. "Good looking?"

"Very." Said Olivia, straight-faced.

"What about your partner – Elliot..?"

"Oh, God no!" Olivia laughed a little. "He's married and I'm... not..." She finished.

Mrs Ryan thought for a moment, shrugged. "Me neither. Didn't think you had _that_ sort of chemistry but I thought I'd ask."

"We've worked together a long time"

"Would you have to question Iris all over again?" Asked Mrs Ryan, suddenly changing the subject.

"No, I got most of the information the first time. Our ADA might want to ask a few questions, then Iris would have to pick her attacker out of a line-up. And then testify in court. It's a big ask, I understand that. But I wouldn't ask if it wouldn't help us put this man away for life – as the minimum." Mrs Ryan nodded, understanding what Olivia meant.

"Death penalty?"

"Mm. Do you have a problem with that Mrs Ryan?"

"He attacked my daughter. I have no problem with it whatsoever."

- - -

"What did you find?" Alex asked Fin and Munch the second they returned from searching Wallace's house.

"The knife, more photos of the victim's body parts and magazines where he'd cut out the legs or hands off our vics. How's that for evidence?" Said Fin, blatantly pleased with himself. Alex nodded.

"I'll be in my office, when Olivia gets back tell her to come straight to me." Munch's conspiracy sense was tingling, but he kept his face impassive – easy to do behind the tinted specs.

"And Wallace?" He asked.

"His lawyer here yet?" Asked Alex. They shook their heads. "He'll need one." Said Alex. She looked to Cragen.

"Let him sweat till Elliot and Olivia get back, hopefully with the go ahead." He said. Alex left the squad room. She felt bad for making Olivia feel guilty. She hadn't meant to – all she wanted was to get this guy on death row, and she knew the first victim's sexual encounters would be brought up. The jury was likely to be prejudiced thanks to the media coverage and Wallace's predisposition to mental disorders was likely to be dragged up too.

- - -

"Do I have to be there, when Iris tells your ADA what happened?"

"Not if you sign the paperwork." Said Olivia, as the lift doors opened on the SVU floor. The less time wasted the better – Elliot had driven all four of them straight to the precinct from the Ryan's house. Mrs Ryan turned to her daughter.

"Iris, will you be ok by yourself? I don't want you to feel uncomfortable because of me."

"Of course." Replied her ever calm daughter. Olivia continued to be amazed. She had even asked Huang for his opinion. He had assured her that the girl wasn't lying. Knowing of her mother's rape probably made Iris understand that rape was a human action, and like any other action, could in fact be treated objectively and described calmly, if someone had a level enough head to do so.

"Elliot will show you the forms Mrs Ryan. I'll take Iris to the ADA's office." Said Olivia. Elliot walked into the squad room with Mrs Ryan – taking her straight to Cragen's office so as to avoid seeing the photos of what _could _have happened to her daughter, which were probably still lying around and pinned up on the board.

- - -

Closing the door to her office a little too sharply, Alex sat down at her little lunch table by the window, grabbing a diet coke from her bag and opening it, satisfied with the angry little hiss the can gave. She took a few sips. Calmed herself down. She was cranky because she hadn't had proper time to spend with Olivia in about a month. They were both working, all the time. They hadn't even been together long and already it was starting to feel like a twenty year marriage, wearing thin thanks to 'external factors' – namely work, and all the things that came with it that they couldn't control. It was frustrating and it was distracting and it made Alex feel like a cranky nasty bitch.

Then came a knock on the door, which opened to reveal Olivia, and Alex forgot about all of that in an instant.

"Hey" She said, not hiding the smile that automatically came to her lips.

"Hey Alex." Said Olivia, coming into the room. "Iris, this is our ADA, Alex Cabot. We're just going to go through a few things. When we're done, we'll go do the line-up."

"Anytime you want a break, just say so" Said Alex, sitting down beside her desk and motioning for Iris to sit. Olivia sat on the sofa at the back. "You want a drink?"

"Diet coke would be great" Said Iris. Alex opened her bottom drawer where she kept a spare pair of stockings, a clean shirt, a toothbrush, comb – and a couple cans of diet coke. She handed one to Iris, and began her questions.

- - -

Ten minutes later, Cragen knocked on Alex's door. Olivia got up to open it.

"His lawyer's here. Ready for the line up?" He asked. Olivia looked over at Alex, who nodded.

"We're all done here, unless you have any questions Iris?"

"Yeah, actually I do. What would have happened, if the alarm hadn't gone off and scared him away? Would he have killed me, like he did to the others?"

Alex leant forward, prepared to level with one of the most mature people she had ever met.

"Yes. So I'm going to push for the death penalty."

"Why not a life sentence?"

Alex sighed. "The average 'life' sentence is fourteen years with good behaviour. Even with multiple life sentences he could be out before he's fifty. I can't let that happen."

"Olivia, you go with Elliot to talk to Huang. I want the two of you to interrogate Wallace after the line-up." Said Cragen. "Alex, do we have a warrant for his DNA?"

"After the search, had they found so much as a single blood drop..."

"And did they?" Asked Olivia, who hadn't heard the search results yet. Alex gave a small, smug smile.

"You can have any piece of his DNA you want"

"I'll settle for a cheek swab and a blood sample" Said Cragen, as Alex and Iris followed him to the line up. Wallace's council was there, a woman Alex hadn't met before, who looked like she had a permanently bad smell under her nose. She was skulking in the shadows, probably trying to figure out how best to resolve the situation. Alex gave her a customary nod, which was somewhat reluctantly returned. _Fine_, thought Alex, _I'll just wipe the floor with you in court_.

"Ready?" Asked Cragen, finger hovering above the button as they stood by the window. "They can't see you. If you need a closer look, just say the number and we'll ask him to step forward. When you're sure, just say the number."

"Ok." Said Iris. Alex glanced at her – she was a lot quieter than she had been before.

"Send them in." Ordered Cragen. The six men filed in. Iris visibly shuddered, let out a low breath. Alex tried to calm her beating heart. Correct identification here would make for a slam dunk case in court – and Alex didn't want to take any chances.

"Take your time Iris" She said.

"Councillor." Snapped Wallace's attorney, in a warning tone. Alex rolled her eyes. She had no idea what Boyd Wallace looked like – she had barely glanced at the mug shot, which was almost ten years old anyway. And yet she was always being accused of telepathically telling witnesses which one to pick.

"Number four. It's definitely number four. I remember... how he looked at me... Can I go?" Asked Iris, looking from Cragen to Alex and back to Cragen. Cragen nodded. Iris took a deep breath and left the room quickly.

"How about we talk some deals?" Said the attorney, the second Iris had left. Alex laughed.

"Worried?"

"No."

"You should be. Want to offer up DNA now or shall I wait ten minutes for the warrant?" Asked Alex, unable to keep the laughter from her voice. Wallace's attorney shot her a nasty look.

"Get the warrant Cabot." She left to be with her client.

"Confidant, councillor?" Asked Cragen.

"I could prosecute this in my sleep!"

"Don't get too cocky. They might plead insanity – the depressed mother and all that..."

"So long as I can prove he has a moral centre, and that he knew what he did was wrong, I'll have no problem whatsoever. My mother took Xanax too – but I'm not slaughtering models in my spare time."

"Alex. You don't have any spare time." Pointed out Cragen. "Talk to the DA, take a few days off. It's been busy lately." Alex nodded, turned to the door. "I'll give Olivia a break too." He added, causing Alex to freeze, hand an inch away from the door handle. She wheeled round slowly, swallowed. _Dammit!_ Caught. Cragen looked at her. "Think I was born yesterday? Go prosecute." He said, waving his hand. Alex, unable to speak, nodded and left.


	10. Ten, 'Charge of the Law Brigade'

_Penultimate chapter – how exciting? Thank you for all the great comments and reviews, I do really appreciate them. I'll post the final final (short as anything) part before too long. So – 'ere iz le part de almost done!_

_- - -_

_Chapter TEN – Charge of the Law Brigade _

"Mrs Ryan, Iris has been tremendously helpful." Said Elliot, returning the girl to her mother.

"How are you doing sweetheart?"

"Fine mom. Alex was really nice."

"The ADA?" Her mother leant forward, smiling knowingly. "Was he good looking?" She asked, remembering what Olivia had said. Her daughter gave her an odd look.

"It was a she... When will the trail be?" She said, turning to Elliot, leaving her mother looking quite confused.

"First there's an arraignment hearing, where he'll enter his plea, then you'll testify some time after that. We'll call you. Take care." He said, walking them out of the squad room.

"Hey Elliot, we have it!" Said Olivia, coming back in to the squad room – Alex close behind her brandishing the blue DNA warrant – the two of them interrupting Elliot's coffee making.

"That girl will do anything for you huh?" He asked Olivia, smiling. Olivia and Alex both blushed slightly, and gave the same sheepish smile. Elliot just rolled his eyes.

- - -

"A warrant." Said Alex, handing the blue folded paper to Wallace's lawyer. Elliot and Olivia came in behind her. "For your client's DNA."

The attorney sighed. "That was quick."

"We found the knife, the photos, the bloody clothes, the cocaine. We have fingerprints and your client was picked out of a line-up." Listed Alex, as Olivia took the swab and handed it to Elliot, who left to take it to the lab. Olivia sat down next to Alex.

"Do you even need the DNA..." said the attorney, dryly. Alex smiled.

"I like to be thorough"

"My client would like to deal. Can you take the death penalty off the table?"

"Why?" Said Alex, utterly astounded that this woman was even trying.

"My client's aunt was schizophrenic, my client may have a disposition to mental defect or disorder. To add to that, his mother was an ex-model turned manic depressive. It's entirely possible that Mr Wallace did these things because of a difficult relationship with the modelling industry as a whole."

"Then why become a model's assistant? How long were you planning this?" Asked Olivia, seeing the huge great big gaping hole in that argument.

"Don't answer that." Snapped his attorney.

"An alcoholic stays away from alcohol, your 'client' should have stayed away from the modelling industry if he had any resentment for it!" Said Olivia. Was this not clear to him? Obviously not. His attorney ignored her.

"A relative of a schizophrenic is eighteen times more likely to develop the disorder themselves." Said the attorney – enunciating so very clearly.

"Twist what you will and I'll see you at the arraignment." Said Alex, pleasantly, standing up to go.

"Bitch." Said Wallace. Alex didn't even blink.

"I've been called worse." She said, walking out of the room, Olivia right behind her.

- - -

"It doesn't bother you?" Asked Olivia, softly. She had followed Alex to the bathroom to try and get a minute with her. The bathrooms were empty and, like a pair of teenagers, the two had stolen a quick but deep kiss on entering.

"What?" Asked Alex, washing her hands and running her fingers through her hair.

"Scum like that calling you names, being abusive"

"Happens to you too." Alex pointed out. "Occupational hazard. 'Bitch' is a popular one. Listen, Cragen told me to take some time off after the trial."

"You should Alex, get a few days rest, It'll be-"

"He knows." Interrupted Alex, turning to look Olivia in the eyes. Olivia stood still for a minute, before sighing and rubbing her aching neck.

"Shit..." She murmured under her breath.

"And I think George does too, although that doesn't worry me"

"Why not?"

"Olivia, George and I are friends, we have lunch together sometimes. He talks about his partner a lot." It took Olivia a couple of seconds to understand the significance. "I know, I know, I wanted to keep it quiet just as much as you did, but it looks like it's seeping out."

"Well, so long as we're careful. I guess I don't mind the team knowing."

Alex sighed. "I wish I could say the same about _my _colleagues in the DA's office. There are a lot of very conservative judges. And I call in a _lot _of favours."

"I'll talk to Elliot. He can tell me what people know, or think they do, and he'll talk to Fin and Munch, keep it discrete. Don't worry about it."

"Thank you Liv. I hate doing this but, for the moment, I need to."

"S'fine." Olivia was about to say something else, but she didn't, and Alex didn't press her.

"Elliot looks a little bit like a penguin, don't you think?" Said Alex, suddenly. Olivia did a double take, then burst out laughing. "It just suddenly occurred to me..." Alex smiled. Olivia beamed back. Alex swooped in and kissed her swiftly. "Let's go."

- - -

"Docket number 269501, people versus Wallace. One count sexual misconduct, one count rape in the first degree, one count attempted sexual assault of a minor, two counts murder in the first degree. Defendant is Boyd Wallace, council for the defence Rebecca Finchley, Alex Cabot for the people." The court clerk read out the charges, Judge Cohen picked up the arraignment hearing file from his desk, opened it. He glanced at Alex and at Wallace's attorney.

"Miss Finchley, how does your client plead?"

"Not guilty your honour, by reason of mental disorder or defect."

"The people object, your honour. The defendant has been assessed by an FBI psychiatrist who found absolutely no sign that the defendant has any mental disorders, or that he lacked the capability to make a moral judgement while slaughtering two of his victims. He knew what he did was wrong but he went ahead and did it anyway" Added Alex for emphasis – earning a warning look from the judge in return.

"Is that true, Miss Finchley? Was the defendant assessed?"

"Yes your honour – but only very briefly and by only one psychiatrist, the defendant has a schizophrenic aunt, he is eighteen times more likely than the average person to develop the disorder!"

"Save it for the trial. Does your client wish to change his plea?"

Finchley leaned over to Wallace, they exchanged a few whispered words.

"No your honour."

"We'll talk in my chambers. You'll be seeking the death penalty, Miss Cabot?"

"Yes your honour."

"And bail?" He asked.

"Remand your honour. The defendant has no ties to the community, he knows and could target many other women. We believe him to be a flight risk-"

"My client has limited funds-"

"But enough, your honour. And the violent nature of the crimes speaks for itself."

"I'm inclined to agree. Defendant is to be remanded in custody pending trial. Council to chambers please."

- - -

The second the door was closed behind them, both Alex and Rebecca Finchley started to speak, but Judge Cohen held up a hand to stop them.

"I don't want to hear it. Miss Finchley, have your client assessed by more psychologists if you so wish. Miss Cabot, bring yours to testify for the prosecution. We shall let a jury decide. Clear?"

Alex nodded, as did Finchley.

- - -

"What did they say?" Asked Olivia, her and Elliot ambushing Alex the second she came out of judge's chambers.

"You lying in wait for me now?" Asked Alex, with a little smirk.

"Her idea." Said Elliot, pointing to Olivia. "What did the judge say?"

"He said we can fight it out in court."

"Bitch fight!" Teased Elliot. Alex shot him a look.

"Don't you start!"

"Miss Cabot. I don't think we've properly met." Alex turned around to find Rebecca Finchley standing behind her. The woman was tall, thin, with a face that was probably older than she actually was. She was holding out her hand. Alex didn't hesitate to shake it. She couldn't imagine why anyone would take the case – and try and fight it, but she had learnt long ago that a lawyer should not be judged by their actions in court. Miss Finchley was hanging on to a sinking ship, and Alex wanted her case/win ratio to come out on top. Might as well earn her paycheck.

"Miss Finchley. I'll see you in two days."

Finchley nodded and left.

"Two days?" Asked Olivia.

"That's when we start. I have plenty of time to prepare."

"You're not even remotely concerned?" Said Elliot, raising his brow in mild surprise.

"No," Said Alex, immediately. "I like a case I can win. Judge will ask for unanimous jury, so long as no one on that jury is schizophrenic or a failed model I should be fine. Dinner?" She added, suddenly, looking straight at Olivia. Elliot cleared his throat and made a quick excuse.

"Sure. Where?"

"In between your legs, detective" growled Alex, leading the way out of the courtroom.


	11. Eleven, 'Closing Statements'

_Chapter ELEVEN – Closing Statements_

Olivia closed the door to Alex's apartment behind her, and in a matter of seconds was pressed up against it, Alex's lips tightly fixed on her own in a kiss so deep it was all she could do to keep her knees from buckling under her. The kiss said so many things – _I want you I need you Fuck me Let me fuck you Now – _Olivia heard Alex's bag drop to the ground as she pulled Alex's coat off and left it there. Olivia's jacket joined it seconds later, as the two edged closer to the bedroom. The kiss never once ended, it kept going like a pulse, keeping them fixed together, their hands blindly touching any part of the body in front of them that they could, the back of the neck, the side of the face, the waist, the top of the hips.

Alex's fingers found Olivia's shirt buttons, she undid them, eyes still closed kiss still holding, her fingertips were trembling as they came into contact with the soft smooth tight skin under the shirt. Almost hesitant, Alex's hands glided over Olivia's skin, desperate to store the sensation of Olivia under her fingertips. The shirt slipped backwards, off Olivia's shoulders and onto the ground. Olivia let out a little moan, right into Alex's mouth, which made Alex's stomach flip over, and she moaned back, involuntarily.

Somehow, they had managed to stumble into Alex's bedroom, and now it was Olivia who pressed Alex against the door, holding Alex in place with the lower half of her body, her hips locked into Alex's. Olivia pulled the shirt off Alex, undoing Alex's bra in the same instant that Alex undid Olivia's. Their bare stomachs were now flat against one another, the feeling of hot skin on hot skin enough to send them both over the edge. But it wasn't enough for Alex Cabot.

She liked to be thorough.

Alex resumed the kiss – the longing, commanding kiss – pushing back against Olivia who allowed herself to be guided away from the door, across the room, towards the bed. Alex brought her hand from its hold on the small of Olivia's back, slipping it down between Olivia's trousers and her underwear – but Olivia had had the exact same thought at the exact same time. They were both stuck, neither able to move further because both their hands were the wrong way to enter, both trapped together. Alex laughed, Olivia too.

"Stand down detective"

Probably the first words since the court room. They echoed around the bedroom, around Olivia's head – they even seemed to echo in her own pussy, which could feel the back of Alex's hand so, so close.

"Why me?" She panted.

In response, Alex pushed her hand against Olivia, who felt it all over her body, then, before she even had a chance to moan, Alex's hand moved the other way, causing Olivia to get even hotter, as her body cried out for that feeling again. Olivia complied, moving both hands onto Alex's naked back. The skin was hot. She could feel it; so was she. Her entire body was hot, and Alex knew it, taking off Olivia's trousers and her own, gently leaning back with Olivia across the bed. Alex leant on her side, Olivia beneath her, their legs intertwined as Alex rubbed and teased and finally touched Olivia's wet pussy, sliding one, two fingers inside and allowing Olivia closer and closer.

They spent the rest of the day and most of the night like that. One, the other, both at the same time. Each time they came they came together, in perfect harmony, one from the pleasure and one from the sheer glee at what they were doing to the other – or both, for both reasons. They barely spoke, starting, speeding, slowing according to the reactions the other made, neither allowing thought or speech to impair what they were doing.

It was good. And then they slept.

- - -

"... so, ladies and gentlemen of the jury, the question is not whether or not Boyd Wallace committed these crimes. We have heard from detectives, from the DNA, the evidence left by the defendant as he raped, killed, slaughtered and attacked his victims. His guilt is not in question. What _is _in question is to whether or not he should be punished for it. It is true that his mother was depressed. But that does not excuse his actions. He knew exactly what he was doing, he knew that is was wrong, and yet he did it. And, members of the jury," Alex's tone switched from strong and passionate to open and honest. "That is why the people are seeking the death penalty. Because I cannot let this happen again."

Alex walked back to her chair and watched as the jury filed out to reach a verdict.

They weren't gone long. Not long at all, and Alex knew the verdict was coming before the foreman even stood. Guilty. It was unanimous. How could it not be – Alex was an excellent prosecutor, who had systematically and thoroughly removed each and every shadow of innocence, in every crack, in every statement. So why, every one in the court rose and began leaving, did Alex Cabot not feel quite entirely satisfied. Even after Rebecca Finchley shook her hand, even after Iris Ryan's mother mouthed 'thank you' across the room, why didn't Alex feel like everything was done?

Then she turned, to see Olivia, standing near the door, allowing everyone else to leave as she watched Alex.

Olivia smiled, opened her mouth and mouthed something that Alex heard as if Olivia had shouted it at the top of her lungs.

"I love you too." Olivia cocked her head, motioning for Alex to follow her out.

Alex was satisfied. Everything was done.

_End._


End file.
